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Small Town Dreams #3
Right Where We Belong
A sexy new small-town romance from Jackie Ashenden, set in the rugged, beautiful landscape of New Zealand.
Levi King has never met a woman he couldn't charm―until he meets Indigo Jameson. One of Brightwater Valley's newest citizens, the prickly woman gets under his skin like no one else ever has.
Indigo Jameson doesn't trust people as a rule. She trusts men―especially handsome ones―least of all. And Levi is the handsomest man she's ever seen. Much to her chagrin, the gorgeous adventure guide seems intent on befriending her. An isolated childhood has made it difficult for her to connect with anyone, but Levi manages to get past her defenses and make her realize how great it could be to have a friend she can really lean on.
But beneath Levi's carefree, flirtatious exterior is a man badly damaged by his own past. Can Indigo break down the walls around Levi's heart as he's done for her?
Levi King has never met a woman he couldn't charm―until he meets Indigo Jameson. One of Brightwater Valley's newest citizens, the prickly woman gets under his skin like no one else ever has.
Indigo Jameson doesn't trust people as a rule. She trusts men―especially handsome ones―least of all. And Levi is the handsomest man she's ever seen. Much to her chagrin, the gorgeous adventure guide seems intent on befriending her. An isolated childhood has made it difficult for her to connect with anyone, but Levi manages to get past her defenses and make her realize how great it could be to have a friend she can really lean on.
But beneath Levi's carefree, flirtatious exterior is a man badly damaged by his own past. Can Indigo break down the walls around Levi's heart as he's done for her?
432 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 8, 2023
10 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
About the author
Jackie Ashenden
496 books977 followersJackie has been writing fiction since she was eleven years old. Mild mannered fantasy/SF/pseudo-literary writer by day, obsessive romance writer by night, she used to balance her writing with the more serious job of librarianship until a chance meeting with another romance writer prompted her to throw off the shackles of her day job and devote herself to the true love of her heart – writing romance. She particularly likes to write dark, emotional stories with alpha heroes who've just got the world to their liking only to have it blown wide apart by their kick-ass heroines.
She lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband, the inimitable Dr Jax, two kids, two cats and some guppies (possibly dead guppies by the time you read this). When she's not torturing alpha males and their stroppy heroines, she can be found drinking chocolate martinis, reading anything she can lay her hands on, posting random crap on her blog, or being forced to go mountain biking with her husband.
She lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband, the inimitable Dr Jax, two kids, two cats and some guppies (possibly dead guppies by the time you read this). When she's not torturing alpha males and their stroppy heroines, she can be found drinking chocolate martinis, reading anything she can lay her hands on, posting random crap on her blog, or being forced to go mountain biking with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
August 8, 2023
Right Where We Belong by Jackie Ashenden
Small Town Dreams series #3. Contemporary romance. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Indigo Jameson traveled to the very small town of Brightwater Valley three months ago. She had lived alone in a backwoods cabin where she grew up and it took all her courage to go to New Zealand. She loves it there and has decided to stay though she is lonely. Both the women she settled with in Brightwater have found a true love and have settled in. Indigo is interested in Levi King but he’s quite the ladies man and Indigo has no experience whatsoever. Levi returns the interest but he wants to make it very clear, he’s only a one night kind of man.
Indigo and Levi have a few issues each needs to reconcile. Their relationship starts out tentative and skittish but soon is friendship slowly growing to more. Characters from the prior two books are included in various scenes which is a nice revisit if you’ve read the prior books. It’s sentimental and ultimately happily ever after.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
Small Town Dreams series #3. Contemporary romance. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Indigo Jameson traveled to the very small town of Brightwater Valley three months ago. She had lived alone in a backwoods cabin where she grew up and it took all her courage to go to New Zealand. She loves it there and has decided to stay though she is lonely. Both the women she settled with in Brightwater have found a true love and have settled in. Indigo is interested in Levi King but he’s quite the ladies man and Indigo has no experience whatsoever. Levi returns the interest but he wants to make it very clear, he’s only a one night kind of man.
Indigo and Levi have a few issues each needs to reconcile. Their relationship starts out tentative and skittish but soon is friendship slowly growing to more. Characters from the prior two books are included in various scenes which is a nice revisit if you’ve read the prior books. It’s sentimental and ultimately happily ever after.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
July 22, 2023
Indigo Jameson has issues with trusting people due to her childhood, especially men and good-looking ones. She lived with her grandmother, her father and mother deserted her as a baby and you can understand why she has problems. Indigo and her friends Isabella Montgomery and Bethany Grant move to the Brightwater Valley in New Zealand from Deep River, Alaska and they open a gift and craft shop called Brightwater Dreams. Indigo knits and dyes her own yarn, she looking for another place to live and with a shed to store her wool.
Levi King and his friends Chase and Finn Kelly run Pure Adventures NZ, they take people on action tours, hiking, kayaking, horse riding and perfect for adrenaline junkies. Levi is a ladies man, he’s never met a woman yet that doesn’t succumb to his charm and except Indigo and she’s so prickly around him he gives her the nickname 'hedgehog'.
Levi makes Indigo an offer to solve her housing crisis, she’s skeptical and he either makes her mad or blush. Isabella and Beth give her advice, Indigo's not sure if she can follow it and lacks the confidence.
I received a digital copy of Right Where We Belong by Jackie Ashenden from Edelweiss and Sourcebooks in exchange for an honest review. It was wonderful catching up with the local characters featured in the previous two books, Find Your Way Home and All Roads Lead To You and they live in a beautiful and remote area in New Zealand and on the South Island.
Indy might be shy but a strong and successful man like Levi is the perfect match for her. It was interesting reading about their budding relationship, it certainly wasn’t lacking in chemistry, attraction and drama. Five stars from me and my favourite book out of the three novels in the Small Town Dreams Trilogy.
Levi King and his friends Chase and Finn Kelly run Pure Adventures NZ, they take people on action tours, hiking, kayaking, horse riding and perfect for adrenaline junkies. Levi is a ladies man, he’s never met a woman yet that doesn’t succumb to his charm and except Indigo and she’s so prickly around him he gives her the nickname 'hedgehog'.
Levi makes Indigo an offer to solve her housing crisis, she’s skeptical and he either makes her mad or blush. Isabella and Beth give her advice, Indigo's not sure if she can follow it and lacks the confidence.
I received a digital copy of Right Where We Belong by Jackie Ashenden from Edelweiss and Sourcebooks in exchange for an honest review. It was wonderful catching up with the local characters featured in the previous two books, Find Your Way Home and All Roads Lead To You and they live in a beautiful and remote area in New Zealand and on the South Island.
Indy might be shy but a strong and successful man like Levi is the perfect match for her. It was interesting reading about their budding relationship, it certainly wasn’t lacking in chemistry, attraction and drama. Five stars from me and my favourite book out of the three novels in the Small Town Dreams Trilogy.
February 22, 2024
Rating 3.5
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
This was a slow read for me. I had to put it down several times and reengage in the storyline.
What kept me coming back though was the heroine, I liked her. She had smarts, was independent and sweet.
The hero grew on me. Not sure about him at first. But their sassy dialogue was enjoyable and watching their relationship evolve.
I like Jackie Ashenden's writing my felt this one was a little off, for me anyway.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
This was a slow read for me. I had to put it down several times and reengage in the storyline.
What kept me coming back though was the heroine, I liked her. She had smarts, was independent and sweet.
The hero grew on me. Not sure about him at first. But their sassy dialogue was enjoyable and watching their relationship evolve.
I like Jackie Ashenden's writing my felt this one was a little off, for me anyway.
August 11, 2023
This wasn’t for me. The whole I’m a hermit virgin who’s never even kissed a guy but please take my virginity thing was odd. This in turn made the sex scenes really uncomfortable to read. The amount of inner dialogue that repeats itself in this book is just cringy.
April 20, 2023
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
“He was one of those intensely charismatic, engaging assholes, with a surface so slick you’d always find yourself sliding off it.” (quote from ARC)
An incorrigible flirt with a heart of gold meets a shy, guarded heroine in “Right Where We Belong”, by Jackie Ashenden (Sourcebooks Casablanca), a story of how childhood trauma impacts adults’ lives in the most unexpected ways.
Both Levi and Indigo are damaged differently by their pasts. They are so different and yet so alike in some ways.
The hero’s openness and honesty about his horrible experiences as a child is an interesting twist on this type of wounded hero. But there are more layers to reveal beneath the apparent disclosure about the depressing childhood.
The sense of lack of worth and the deep need to belong hidden beneath Levi’s “easygoing and flirtatious” persona are powerful.
In Levi I appreciated watching the things he keeps hidden and the constant need to be accepted and to be part of a family, a community, all wrapped up in the charming envelope.
I could picture in my mind the little boy going from foster home to foster home with his meager belongings in a shopping bag.
I liked watching Indigo fighting the attraction while also being fascinated and attracted by Levi’s undeniable charisma.
Indigo’s lonely, isolated childhood and the hurt she went through allows her to have a special outlook on Levi’s complicated baggage.
The romance between these two is sweet, sexy, and full of surprises and discoveries, highlighted by Ashenden’s writing talent.
I loved meeting again the romantic couple’s friends and partners and Brightwater’s residents, including Mystery, the stray dog which seems to have adopted Levi.
I miss these characters and the New Zeland small-town already, but perhaps the author will write about some of the secondary characters in future works.
“He was one of those intensely charismatic, engaging assholes, with a surface so slick you’d always find yourself sliding off it.” (quote from ARC)
An incorrigible flirt with a heart of gold meets a shy, guarded heroine in “Right Where We Belong”, by Jackie Ashenden (Sourcebooks Casablanca), a story of how childhood trauma impacts adults’ lives in the most unexpected ways.
Both Levi and Indigo are damaged differently by their pasts. They are so different and yet so alike in some ways.
The hero’s openness and honesty about his horrible experiences as a child is an interesting twist on this type of wounded hero. But there are more layers to reveal beneath the apparent disclosure about the depressing childhood.
The sense of lack of worth and the deep need to belong hidden beneath Levi’s “easygoing and flirtatious” persona are powerful.
In Levi I appreciated watching the things he keeps hidden and the constant need to be accepted and to be part of a family, a community, all wrapped up in the charming envelope.
I could picture in my mind the little boy going from foster home to foster home with his meager belongings in a shopping bag.
I liked watching Indigo fighting the attraction while also being fascinated and attracted by Levi’s undeniable charisma.
Indigo’s lonely, isolated childhood and the hurt she went through allows her to have a special outlook on Levi’s complicated baggage.
The romance between these two is sweet, sexy, and full of surprises and discoveries, highlighted by Ashenden’s writing talent.
I loved meeting again the romantic couple’s friends and partners and Brightwater’s residents, including Mystery, the stray dog which seems to have adopted Levi.
I miss these characters and the New Zeland small-town already, but perhaps the author will write about some of the secondary characters in future works.
October 29, 2023
There is really no substance to the story, 98 percent of book is just 2 people who were damaged as children finally overcoming their fears and dysfunctions to finally work together enough to get married. That's it - that's the entire book plus a few descriptions of yarn, helicopter flights, scenic views, and sex.
But, if you're in the mood for a non-taxing, simple romance this is an enjoyable wrap up to the Small Town Dreams series
But, if you're in the mood for a non-taxing, simple romance this is an enjoyable wrap up to the Small Town Dreams series
Read
September 12, 2023This felt forced. Setting and found-family dynamic carried the book past where I would have DNF'd it. The characters are fine, but something about the relationship felt hollow to me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC.
April 18, 2023
Even though I really liked the chemistry between the main characters, the inner monologue (especially for the FMC) got really repetitive to a frustrating degree.
August 4, 2023
Right Where We Belong is the third novel in Jackie Ashenden's Small Town Dreams series, and I'll tell you right from the start that it's my favorite novel of this series because as an only child with two working parents, raised by my maternal grandparents, I so identified with Indigo (Indy) Jameson and the incredibly lonely life she led in with only her hermit of a grandmother in virtually total isolation in Deep River, Alaska.
Indy's father walked out on her mother before Indy was born, only to return 7 years later to purportedly reclaim them both, but when the couple moves to Anchorage, amid promises and more promises that they would soon return and take Indy to live with them--but it never happened, leaving Indy feeling unloved and unwanted. She never even saw anyone but her socially paranoid grandmother until her grandmother fell ill and 15-year-old Indy had to go into town to pick up groceries. Talk about isolation! Her upbringing left her with a deep mistrust of people, and more so of men, since the parents, espeically her father, who kept promising to get her never returned.
The other principal character in this novel is Levi, who is described as a gorgeous combination of Jason Momoa and Brock O'Hurn. He too has led a lonely life, shuffled from foster home to foster home until he aged out of the system and joined the military, where he met two brothers , Chase and Finn Kelly, who, when they left the military, jointly opened Pure Adventure New Zealand based in tiny Bridghtwater Valley. Chase and Finn met the loves of their lives when they met two of the women who left Deep River, Alaska, and relocated to Bridghtwater Valley, their stories appear in the first two novels in the series, which I suggest you read in the order they were written. Levi, however, had no one--no family, no siblings, and no roots except for a house he owns in a nearby small city, and he's worked hard for the past 5 years to make a life for himself in Brightwater Valley.
Levi has been attracted to Indy, whom he nicknames "hedgehog" because of her prickly nature, and she's been attracted to him from the start although she hides it well, but Levi has never had a real relationship with any woman, he's a one-night and done kind of man, and Indy has never even been kissed, let alone involved with a man, since she was raised not to trust anyone, especially good looking men, and due to her father's betrayal and lies, she has good reason to feel that way. Yes, the two other women who left Deep River with her, Isabella (Izzy) Montgomery and Bethany Grant have become her close friends over the past 3 months spent opening their artisans gallerygift shop and finding love with Chase and Finn, which made Indy feel more alone than ever. Especially since, due to circumstances, Indy needs to find a new place to live and set up her yarn dying shed and soon--and Levi, who is secretly wealthy, has the answer, but will Indy accept his solution? It requires working closely with the very handsome and flirtatious man, and as romance readers you already know where their relationship is headed, but will they get there? It's certainly not a sure thing, and I hope you enjoy emotional angst, because there's a lot of it in this heartfelt and heartwarming novel.
I absolutely loved this novel and these well-drawn characters, and especially the final twist in their story. It's definitely my favorite novel of the series, and I cannot recommend this novel and the entire series highly enough.
I voluntarily read and advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions started are my own.
Indy's father walked out on her mother before Indy was born, only to return 7 years later to purportedly reclaim them both, but when the couple moves to Anchorage, amid promises and more promises that they would soon return and take Indy to live with them--but it never happened, leaving Indy feeling unloved and unwanted. She never even saw anyone but her socially paranoid grandmother until her grandmother fell ill and 15-year-old Indy had to go into town to pick up groceries. Talk about isolation! Her upbringing left her with a deep mistrust of people, and more so of men, since the parents, espeically her father, who kept promising to get her never returned.
The other principal character in this novel is Levi, who is described as a gorgeous combination of Jason Momoa and Brock O'Hurn. He too has led a lonely life, shuffled from foster home to foster home until he aged out of the system and joined the military, where he met two brothers , Chase and Finn Kelly, who, when they left the military, jointly opened Pure Adventure New Zealand based in tiny Bridghtwater Valley. Chase and Finn met the loves of their lives when they met two of the women who left Deep River, Alaska, and relocated to Bridghtwater Valley, their stories appear in the first two novels in the series, which I suggest you read in the order they were written. Levi, however, had no one--no family, no siblings, and no roots except for a house he owns in a nearby small city, and he's worked hard for the past 5 years to make a life for himself in Brightwater Valley.
Levi has been attracted to Indy, whom he nicknames "hedgehog" because of her prickly nature, and she's been attracted to him from the start although she hides it well, but Levi has never had a real relationship with any woman, he's a one-night and done kind of man, and Indy has never even been kissed, let alone involved with a man, since she was raised not to trust anyone, especially good looking men, and due to her father's betrayal and lies, she has good reason to feel that way. Yes, the two other women who left Deep River with her, Isabella (Izzy) Montgomery and Bethany Grant have become her close friends over the past 3 months spent opening their artisans gallerygift shop and finding love with Chase and Finn, which made Indy feel more alone than ever. Especially since, due to circumstances, Indy needs to find a new place to live and set up her yarn dying shed and soon--and Levi, who is secretly wealthy, has the answer, but will Indy accept his solution? It requires working closely with the very handsome and flirtatious man, and as romance readers you already know where their relationship is headed, but will they get there? It's certainly not a sure thing, and I hope you enjoy emotional angst, because there's a lot of it in this heartfelt and heartwarming novel.
I absolutely loved this novel and these well-drawn characters, and especially the final twist in their story. It's definitely my favorite novel of the series, and I cannot recommend this novel and the entire series highly enough.
I voluntarily read and advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions started are my own.
April 10, 2023
Ahhhh! I so enjoyed this story! So much to love!!
This is the third book in the series set in (fictional) Brightwater NZ. I have enjoyed reading the connections between Chase and Izzy, Finn and Beth, and Levi and Indigo in the other books. Levi and Indigo's story started a little like a "sunshine/grumpy" trope for me. But it's not, not really.
These women were new residents to the town, and it's been fun watching each of them find their own HEAs, that they absolutely deserve!
The descriptive imagery of the NZ landscape and setting (based in reality) is interesting and engaging. It was easy to "see" the beauty described. I did a web search for the infamous "Wally" - and I completely agree with Indigo!! Yikes!! 😆
The writing style of this author allows me to connect with the characters, and I loved "hearing" their inner thoughts! It is part of what makes this author one of my favorites. I found this read addictive, and entertaining.
In the description of this author, it states:
"She particularly likes to write dark, emotional stories with alpha heroes who’ve just gotten the world to their liking only to have it blown wide apart by their kick-ass heroines."
This is 100% true, and exactly what happens to these characters. I absolutely loved reading this book and series. Read in order for the best experience. I am sad to have finished the series, but will be binge re-reading at my earliest opportunity.
I was fortunate to be able to grab an advance copy of this book. I thank Sourcebooks and Netgalley for my free ARC, and I voluntarily leave my review.
This is the third book in the series set in (fictional) Brightwater NZ. I have enjoyed reading the connections between Chase and Izzy, Finn and Beth, and Levi and Indigo in the other books. Levi and Indigo's story started a little like a "sunshine/grumpy" trope for me. But it's not, not really.
These women were new residents to the town, and it's been fun watching each of them find their own HEAs, that they absolutely deserve!
The descriptive imagery of the NZ landscape and setting (based in reality) is interesting and engaging. It was easy to "see" the beauty described. I did a web search for the infamous "Wally" - and I completely agree with Indigo!! Yikes!! 😆
The writing style of this author allows me to connect with the characters, and I loved "hearing" their inner thoughts! It is part of what makes this author one of my favorites. I found this read addictive, and entertaining.
In the description of this author, it states:
"She particularly likes to write dark, emotional stories with alpha heroes who’ve just gotten the world to their liking only to have it blown wide apart by their kick-ass heroines."
This is 100% true, and exactly what happens to these characters. I absolutely loved reading this book and series. Read in order for the best experience. I am sad to have finished the series, but will be binge re-reading at my earliest opportunity.
I was fortunate to be able to grab an advance copy of this book. I thank Sourcebooks and Netgalley for my free ARC, and I voluntarily leave my review.
August 22, 2023
Right Where We Belong by Jackie Ashenden
Standalone New Zealand small town romance that sees two people with difficult backstories finding their happily ever after by the end of the book.
What I liked:
* That it made sense though I had not read previous books in the series
* Indigo Jameson: Alaska native, abandoned by her parents, raised by her paranoid rather negative hermit grandmother, stepped out of her comfort zone to go to New Zealand, wants a home and place of her own, grows a lot
* Levi King: grew up in foster care, never found a hearth or home, ex-military, works with friends in an outdoor adventure company they own, helicopter pilot, wealthy, giving, one night stand only sort with women, grows a lot
* The uneasy teasing and prickly relationship between Levi and Indigo and watching it grow into a loving mature relationship as the book progressed
* The friends who must have had books of their own earlier in the series
* Mystery: a canine looking for its forever home, too
* The warm small-town community feeling
What I didn’t like:
* The difficult childhoods that both Levi and Indigo endured and how it impacted them
* The people that did not step up when they should have for Levi, Indigo, and Mystery
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC – This is my honest review.
3-4 Stars
Standalone New Zealand small town romance that sees two people with difficult backstories finding their happily ever after by the end of the book.
What I liked:
* That it made sense though I had not read previous books in the series
* Indigo Jameson: Alaska native, abandoned by her parents, raised by her paranoid rather negative hermit grandmother, stepped out of her comfort zone to go to New Zealand, wants a home and place of her own, grows a lot
* Levi King: grew up in foster care, never found a hearth or home, ex-military, works with friends in an outdoor adventure company they own, helicopter pilot, wealthy, giving, one night stand only sort with women, grows a lot
* The uneasy teasing and prickly relationship between Levi and Indigo and watching it grow into a loving mature relationship as the book progressed
* The friends who must have had books of their own earlier in the series
* Mystery: a canine looking for its forever home, too
* The warm small-town community feeling
What I didn’t like:
* The difficult childhoods that both Levi and Indigo endured and how it impacted them
* The people that did not step up when they should have for Levi, Indigo, and Mystery
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC – This is my honest review.
3-4 Stars
Read
November 8, 2023I feel like this book ended this series on the best note 🥰 I had high hopes, & I’m glad to say my heart is happy 💕
Both Levi & Indigo have been favs from book one! I loved how they both felt like the outsider (kind of) in their friend groups, & how they bonded over that. Indigo was relatable in so many ways with her insecurities, as well as her ability to pick up everything & move to a completely unknown place. I loved getting to know more about her 👏🏻 and I would absolutely love to be her friend! Levi had so many layers, & every time you figured something out about him, 2/3 more things popped up. He put up a good front, but his true colours couldn’t be kept inside 🥰 not to mention, he’s a total sweetheart ❤️
I loved getting to hear about different places throughout New Zealand as well, & hope I can get there one day to see them in person 🌎
I’ve read a handful of Jackie’s books so far, & it’s safe to say I’ll continue ☺️ if you haven’t read any of her stories, I recommend you do! Both this series & the Deep River series are lots of fun!
Read if you like:
✨small towns
✨New Zealand setting
✨interconnected series
✨the best townspeople
✨found family
✨some self discovery
✨and LOTS more!!
Thank you @sourcebookscasa @netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review 📖💕
Both Levi & Indigo have been favs from book one! I loved how they both felt like the outsider (kind of) in their friend groups, & how they bonded over that. Indigo was relatable in so many ways with her insecurities, as well as her ability to pick up everything & move to a completely unknown place. I loved getting to know more about her 👏🏻 and I would absolutely love to be her friend! Levi had so many layers, & every time you figured something out about him, 2/3 more things popped up. He put up a good front, but his true colours couldn’t be kept inside 🥰 not to mention, he’s a total sweetheart ❤️
I loved getting to hear about different places throughout New Zealand as well, & hope I can get there one day to see them in person 🌎
I’ve read a handful of Jackie’s books so far, & it’s safe to say I’ll continue ☺️ if you haven’t read any of her stories, I recommend you do! Both this series & the Deep River series are lots of fun!
Read if you like:
✨small towns
✨New Zealand setting
✨interconnected series
✨the best townspeople
✨found family
✨some self discovery
✨and LOTS more!!
Thank you @sourcebookscasa @netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review 📖💕
July 30, 2023
Levi is a charmer, a ladies man who has yet to meet his match, until Indigo. Raised under rather unusual circumstances Indigo has trust issues ( hence her hedgehog nickname) especially with smooth talking men, but what is she supposed to do when every where she turns Levi seems to be. These two have mutual friends and live in the same town but are total opposites. However, as the saying goes, opposites attract. This is a nice quick and sweet romance with wonderful characters, both main and supporting. While Indigo’s distrust in others is obvious, Levi has had his own past issues that make his is little less noticeable at first. The author has a beautiful way of making her characters seem lifelike and at time I felt as if these two were actually my own friends. The story is basically all about the slow build of their relationship, but both Indigo and Levi have truly interesting lives. They are similar yet different. It is not overly steamy, more tender hearted than anything, but super enjoyable. It is part of a series, but as someone who did not read the other books in the series you will not feel lost at all. 4.5 stars. I received an arc copy of this book from NetGalley for my voluntary review.
August 1, 2023
This is the third in the Small Town Dreams series, but can be read as a stand alone. The series has three friends who come from the USA to a small town in New Zealand. As this book begins Indigo Jameson is fighting her growing attraction to Levi King. Her friends and business partners in their craft store have paired off with his adventure guide partners. He likes to tease and provoke calling her hedgehog because she is prickly. But he is gorgeous and kind to everyone in town. But both have a past that makes them not trust in love. Her parents left her to be raised by a grandmother in remote Alaska leaving her feeling abandoned. He grew up in foster care.
Honestly, this is probably my favorite of the series because he was the least alpha male of the male partners. He is still run and rugged but his insecurities make him vulnerable. I like that the obstacles aren’t driven from outside sources but in overcoming their pasts to allow for a first relationship for both of them. I’m assuming the series is finished but I will look for what the author writes next. Thank you go Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.
Honestly, this is probably my favorite of the series because he was the least alpha male of the male partners. He is still run and rugged but his insecurities make him vulnerable. I like that the obstacles aren’t driven from outside sources but in overcoming their pasts to allow for a first relationship for both of them. I’m assuming the series is finished but I will look for what the author writes next. Thank you go Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.
August 25, 2023
"Yes, we’re going to tell everyone in the whole damn town, because I want everyone to know you’re mine.”
I am so happy that we finally get Levi and Indigo’s story! I loved reading how Levi would try so hard to get Indigo to let him build her a small house. It was so sweet! I cracked up reading how Indigo wants nothing to do with Levi, but yet can’t help herself by constantly finding him and bickering. This is a great ending to an amazing series. I would definitely recommend reading the series in order as Levi and Indigo are secondary characters in those books. I felt like for someone to read this book as a standalone, they might find the romance a bit rushed. If you have read the previous books in the series, you’ve been getting sneak peaks at Levi and Indigo’s relationship and their chemistry. I loved the ending of this book! Both Indigo and Levi have never found a home and have both been feeling like they don’t belong and aren’t enough. They both show each other that they are and make a home together!
Read if you like:
3rd person dual POVs
Small town romance
New Zealand setting
Swoony hero
Golden retriever hero
Virgin heroine
Open door romance
I am so happy that we finally get Levi and Indigo’s story! I loved reading how Levi would try so hard to get Indigo to let him build her a small house. It was so sweet! I cracked up reading how Indigo wants nothing to do with Levi, but yet can’t help herself by constantly finding him and bickering. This is a great ending to an amazing series. I would definitely recommend reading the series in order as Levi and Indigo are secondary characters in those books. I felt like for someone to read this book as a standalone, they might find the romance a bit rushed. If you have read the previous books in the series, you’ve been getting sneak peaks at Levi and Indigo’s relationship and their chemistry. I loved the ending of this book! Both Indigo and Levi have never found a home and have both been feeling like they don’t belong and aren’t enough. They both show each other that they are and make a home together!
Read if you like:
3rd person dual POVs
Small town romance
New Zealand setting
Swoony hero
Golden retriever hero
Virgin heroine
Open door romance
July 31, 2023
Right Where We Belong is another story taking place in (fictional) Brightwater NZ by Jackie Ashenden. This fictional town is a sister one to her Alaskan series (which is great too) but each story is self-contained so you can read in any order. Levi King is interested in the only woman in town that wants nothing to do with him. He has his work cut out since he can’t get her off his mind. Indigo Jameson trusts few in this life even fewer that are men. She has her reasons.
This romantic story has Levi is a please with a tragic past of his own. While these two have difficult events from the past they handle how they cope very differently. A story that looks at how the past affect the present, how to work through those events and move on in living a joyful loving life. The relationship romance is sweet yet very sexy with the characters’ personal growth being even better. What a wonderful story.
An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This romantic story has Levi is a please with a tragic past of his own. While these two have difficult events from the past they handle how they cope very differently. A story that looks at how the past affect the present, how to work through those events and move on in living a joyful loving life. The relationship romance is sweet yet very sexy with the characters’ personal growth being even better. What a wonderful story.
An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 13, 2023
Such a terrific romance!
So right away I tagged Levi as a hero due solely to his dedication to taming Mystery, the feral dog that hangs around town. And it only gets better from there. He and Indigo have so much in common and I loved seeing them gradually open up to each other to discover their similar pasts. They really are perfectly suited to helping each other heal in the most heartwarming way.
Of course there's plenty of attraction and tension along the way, with relationship-avoidant Levi and zero-experience Indigo figuring out just what they have to offer each other. I loved the give and take, the way Indigo stood her ground when Levi wasn't sure he could be what she needed, and the wonderfully satisfying HEA includes a delightful epilogue for all three couples in this charming series. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
So right away I tagged Levi as a hero due solely to his dedication to taming Mystery, the feral dog that hangs around town. And it only gets better from there. He and Indigo have so much in common and I loved seeing them gradually open up to each other to discover their similar pasts. They really are perfectly suited to helping each other heal in the most heartwarming way.
Of course there's plenty of attraction and tension along the way, with relationship-avoidant Levi and zero-experience Indigo figuring out just what they have to offer each other. I loved the give and take, the way Indigo stood her ground when Levi wasn't sure he could be what she needed, and the wonderfully satisfying HEA includes a delightful epilogue for all three couples in this charming series. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
July 29, 2023
Beth, Izzy, and Indigo moved, somewhat impulsively, from Alaska to New Zealand and now they're firmly established in Brightwater Valley. Beth and Izzy have found love (in earlier books in the series) but Indigo has always struggled with relationships thanks to her unusual upbringing, which includes being abandoned by her parents. Enter Levi, who has his own traumatic past and who offers to help solve her housing and storage problem. They build their relationship slowly, just as Levi slowly tames a feral dog. You'll root for these two, who deserve so much more than they're had. I've enjoyed the series for the characters and the setting- know that each one works as a standalone but to read all three is a pleasure. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A nice read that will make you smile.
August 4, 2023
Matching pair of jeans...
Levi and Indigo (someone must have had jeans on the mind when naming her main characters) have similar issues. Indigo has abandonment issues, zero experience with men and a distrust of handsome men. Levi has abandonment issues, a need to earn his place with things (not people) and a misguided and very annoying need to metaphorically pull Indy's hair all the time, to push her buttons, to call her hedgehog, and to build her a tiny home, On his land.
Honestly? Levi was pretty annoying but did grow on me. The huge gulf in their sexual experience is a problem for sure. Indigo has no experience and Levi all too much of one and dones. Sex changes everything, as they find out.
But Indy is a Barbie (she's braver than Levi) and Levi is definitely a Ken (he's no Barbie).
Recommend.
Levi and Indigo (someone must have had jeans on the mind when naming her main characters) have similar issues. Indigo has abandonment issues, zero experience with men and a distrust of handsome men. Levi has abandonment issues, a need to earn his place with things (not people) and a misguided and very annoying need to metaphorically pull Indy's hair all the time, to push her buttons, to call her hedgehog, and to build her a tiny home, On his land.
Honestly? Levi was pretty annoying but did grow on me. The huge gulf in their sexual experience is a problem for sure. Indigo has no experience and Levi all too much of one and dones. Sex changes everything, as they find out.
But Indy is a Barbie (she's braver than Levi) and Levi is definitely a Ken (he's no Barbie).
Recommend.
August 8, 2023
Perfect end to the series!
Both Indigo and Levi have had rough childhoods. Indigo's parents dumped her with her reclusive grandmother and never returned, while Levi bounced around foster homes like a ping pong ball. Neither have role models, other than their friends, as to what a real relationship looks like. Indigo has zero experience, and Levi has been a player.
Watching their relationship grow and change was like watching the tide flow in and then recede. Just when you think they're settled, one of them pulls back. Will they be able to trust one another enough to believe their feelings are real?
I loved their story, and the whole series was very good. I look forward to more books by this author. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.
Both Indigo and Levi have had rough childhoods. Indigo's parents dumped her with her reclusive grandmother and never returned, while Levi bounced around foster homes like a ping pong ball. Neither have role models, other than their friends, as to what a real relationship looks like. Indigo has zero experience, and Levi has been a player.
Watching their relationship grow and change was like watching the tide flow in and then recede. Just when you think they're settled, one of them pulls back. Will they be able to trust one another enough to believe their feelings are real?
I loved their story, and the whole series was very good. I look forward to more books by this author. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.
August 20, 2023
Can two characters with similar lonely pasts get over their fears and make it work together?
We got to know Indigo and Levi a little in previous books, but mostly them irritating eachother. This book is a deep look into prickly Indigo's childhood in Alaska and Levi's jumping around to to many foster families as a kid.
Since Indigo needs to find a new place to live, Levi offers to build her a tiny house and they start bonding from there. They both were brooding a lot throughout the book because they were so afraid of getting/being hurt. It's tough when you have been let down most of your life. It was a great thing to see the walls come down and share with eachother. A perfect match and a great series conclusion.
Thank you to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.
We got to know Indigo and Levi a little in previous books, but mostly them irritating eachother. This book is a deep look into prickly Indigo's childhood in Alaska and Levi's jumping around to to many foster families as a kid.
Since Indigo needs to find a new place to live, Levi offers to build her a tiny house and they start bonding from there. They both were brooding a lot throughout the book because they were so afraid of getting/being hurt. It's tough when you have been let down most of your life. It was a great thing to see the walls come down and share with eachother. A perfect match and a great series conclusion.
Thank you to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.
July 28, 2023
I loved this series! This story was about trust and love and how difficult those things are when you don’t grow up with them. Levi had been brought up in foster homes, never knowing where he would be next and no one to care about him. Indigo had parents who left her with her grandmother, promising to come back for her, but never did. Both end up in Brightwater Valley in Australia where they have made friends with the locals, both have good friends with brothers who are with Indigo’s best friends, but Levi and Indigo’s relationship takes a lot to get going. It was an interesting journey they were on and in Ms. Ashenden’s capable hands it was an excellent HEA. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
August 23, 2023
This is my first book by this author & I really enjoyed it. A series based in New Zealand? Say no more!
Levi and Indigo both grew up in tough situations and have abandonment issues because of it. While Indigo is grumpy and wary of most people, Levi is definitely more of the sunshine character but he doesn’t do attachments.
The relationship between Levi and Indigo starts to grow when Indigo accepts Levi’s invitation to live on his land. While neither of them have had good role models growing up, they do have great friends who serve as awesome side characters to the story!
This story is definitely all about give and take as these two have to build trust, something that doesn’t come easily for either of them. Overall I really enjoyed it!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
Levi and Indigo both grew up in tough situations and have abandonment issues because of it. While Indigo is grumpy and wary of most people, Levi is definitely more of the sunshine character but he doesn’t do attachments.
The relationship between Levi and Indigo starts to grow when Indigo accepts Levi’s invitation to live on his land. While neither of them have had good role models growing up, they do have great friends who serve as awesome side characters to the story!
This story is definitely all about give and take as these two have to build trust, something that doesn’t come easily for either of them. Overall I really enjoyed it!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
September 13, 2023
Final story in the series, focusing on yarn dyer and fabric artist Indigo Jameson, and Levi King, partner in the adventure company in Brightwater Valley, New Zealand. Indigo came from Alaska, joining Beth and Izzy on the plan to open an art gallery in the small town. And Indigo has a lot of fear of others - growing up with parents who abandoned her to her grandmother, living on a wilderness homestead in Alaska, and having zero experience with men. Levi grew up in the foster system, straightened out in the army, and joined a fellow army buddy, Chase, and Chase's brother, Finn to Brightwater Valley. Plus, Levi's a player. Never commits, never promises. But there's something about Indigo. .
June 7, 2023
This is the 3rd book of Small Town Dreams series, it can be read as stand alone. My first in this series and this book is good. My mind will go somewhere else if someone over to give me a house for free. I agree with Indigo, no thank you. Then the hot and cold between them happend and it is exhauted to read. They have difficult childhood it affected in their adult life. Indigo become suspicious and mistrustfull and Levi become no string attacht men who still looking for love.
Thank you to NetGalley for provide this book, it is pleasure to review this book.
#RightWhereWeBelong #SmallTownDreams #SourcebooksCasablanca #NetGalley #ARC
Thank you to NetGalley for provide this book, it is pleasure to review this book.
#RightWhereWeBelong #SmallTownDreams #SourcebooksCasablanca #NetGalley #ARC
October 20, 2023
~~~ I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~~~
Right Where We Belong is the third book in this awesome series "Small Town Dreams" and though I loved all the books, this is my favorite of the series. The premise of the series is 3 American women travel on a whim to a small southern town in New Zealand to open a handmade gallery. Each woman finds their own version of love there. Right Where We Belong follows the relationship between Levi and Indigo. I adore this couple and their chemistry. This series is full of great characters, steamy scenes, and romance... plus hot Kiwi men! I recommend this book and series 100%!
Right Where We Belong is the third book in this awesome series "Small Town Dreams" and though I loved all the books, this is my favorite of the series. The premise of the series is 3 American women travel on a whim to a small southern town in New Zealand to open a handmade gallery. Each woman finds their own version of love there. Right Where We Belong follows the relationship between Levi and Indigo. I adore this couple and their chemistry. This series is full of great characters, steamy scenes, and romance... plus hot Kiwi men! I recommend this book and series 100%!
February 8, 2024
Indigo Jameson, shaped by a challenging past, relocates to Brightwater Valley, New Zealand, with trust issues, especially towards men. Alongside friends Isabella and Bethany, she opens "Brightwater Dreams," a craft shop. A skilled knitter seeking a new home, Indigo catches the attention of Levi King, who runs Pure Adventures NZ with friends Chase and Finn. Levi, a charmer, nicknames her 'hedgehog' and offers a solution to her housing woes. The story unfolds with skepticism, blush-inducing moments, and self-confidence struggles as Indigo and Levi navigate a slow-building relationship, confronting backlogged issues in this heartwarming enemies-to-lovers novel set in New Zealand.
March 26, 2024
Right where we belong is the third release in the Small Town Dreams series. It is the story of Indy and Levi. Both grew up in non traditional family settings and suffer from the feeling of loneliness and abandonment. Each are untrusting and guarded but they find a sort of kinship with one another. After they get outside their comfort zones that is.
This was a sweet story of how even broken souls can find and mend each other.
Though the story can be read as a standalone, I would recommend reading the first 2 books in the series, and read in order of release for a good backstory and seamless entry into Indy and Levi’s story.
This was a sweet story of how even broken souls can find and mend each other.
Though the story can be read as a standalone, I would recommend reading the first 2 books in the series, and read in order of release for a good backstory and seamless entry into Indy and Levi’s story.
May 16, 2024
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. Thank you!! I loved this series.
Book #3 in the Small Town Dreams series, focuses on Levi & Indigo. Two people with a lifetime of abandonment issues that are starting over in a new town. Levi has been there for a few years. While he still considers himself an outsider, the tiny town calls him a local. Indigo; however, is a newcomer learning to trust and what it is like to be around people. Can these two help each other move past the hurt and start healing each other?
This series is so well written. Humans are messy and complex and this series shows that in a way that is entertaining, but not over the top,.
Book #3 in the Small Town Dreams series, focuses on Levi & Indigo. Two people with a lifetime of abandonment issues that are starting over in a new town. Levi has been there for a few years. While he still considers himself an outsider, the tiny town calls him a local. Indigo; however, is a newcomer learning to trust and what it is like to be around people. Can these two help each other move past the hurt and start healing each other?
This series is so well written. Humans are messy and complex and this series shows that in a way that is entertaining, but not over the top,.
Read
April 17, 2023Right Where We Belong is book 3 in the Small Town Dreams series by Jackie Ashenden, however this is the first I read in the series and can be read as a stand-alone but I would suggest reading in order to get a deeper layout of the characters and who’s who. The characters were so well written with really engaging characters (slightly enemies to lovers) and two strong leads. This takes you through all the romance feels, I couldn’t wait for them to get together. I will definitely be reading the rest in the series, I hope they as cute, spicy and beautifully written as this.
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